aphids on Haworthia
Quick answer
If your Haworthia has aphids, the most likely cause is: Aphids (green fly) are not usually a problem on cacti and succulents, but they do colonize the soft tissue of Haworthia flower spikes where piercing-sucking feeding and honeydew excretion stress the inflorescence. Honeydew on leaf windows can also invite secondary sooty mold that further blocks light to the photosynthetic interior of the plant.
Start here:
- 1. Spray affected flower spikes with a firm jet of water to dislodge aphid colonies and repeat at regular intervals until clean
- 2. Wipe residual honeydew and surviving insects off the spike with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol
Why Haworthia gets aphids
Haworthiopsis spp.
Aphids (green fly) are not usually a problem on cacti and succulents, but they do colonize the soft tissue of Haworthia flower spikes where piercing-sucking feeding and honeydew excretion stress the inflorescence. Honeydew on leaf windows can also invite secondary sooty mold that further blocks light to the photosynthetic interior of the plant.
How to reverse aphids on Haworthia
- 1
Spray affected flower spikes with a firm jet of water to dislodge aphid colonies and repeat at regular intervals until clean
- 2
Wipe residual honeydew and surviving insects off the spike with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol
- 3
Spot-treat persistent colonies with insecticidal soap or a dilute neem oil spray, coating the undersides where aphids shelter
- 4
Remove and bag severely infested flower spikes once the bloom fades to break the breeding cycle
Keep aphids off this Haworthia
Inspect Haworthia flower spikes routinely during the spring bloom and rinse them off at the first sign of sticky honeydew, because ants tending aphid colonies on the spike will make the infestation worse if left unchecked.